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Conjunctive use of quantitative and qualitative X-ray diffraction analysis of soils and rocks for forensic analysis.

This paper describes a repeatability test, comparing conventional X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses with the technique of quantitative X-ray diffraction (QXRD) as a determinant of mineral abundance. The conjunctive use of both methods allows specific mineral abundances to be matched between scene of crime (SOC) and suspects where soil or substrate mineralogy is similar. In our test, samples from potential SOC locations were taken from car tyre tracks. A car was driven to one location by an independent person and the car submitted for sampling. The tyre-tread sample showed potential correlation to two locations: one correct and the other incorrect. QXRD showed the mineral proportions of the tyre-tread sample matched only the correct location. However, QXRD did fail to discriminate two locations that XRD did show to be different. Both methods utilise the same sample and X-ray diffractogram, suggesting that their conjunctive use, preceded by standard Earth material forensic study, is recommended.

Automobiles↗

Estimation of viable Escherichia coli O157 in surface waters using enrichment in conjunction with immunological detection.

The use of a minimal lactose enrichment broth (MLB) in conjunction with immunomagnetic electrochemiluminescence detection (IM-ECL) was evaluated for the estimation of viable Escherichia coli O157 populations in surface water samples. In principle, E. coli O157 populations (C(initial E. coli O157)) can be derived from enrichment data according to the equation: C(initial E. coli O157) = C(initial coliforms) x C(final E. coli O157)/C(final coliforms)), assuming that the growth rates and lag times of water-borne E. coli O157 and collective coliforms are sufficiently comparable, or at least consistent. We have previously described a protocol for determining C(final E. coli O157) in MLB-enriched water samples. In the present study, 80% of coliforms (red/pink colonies on MacConkey Agar) grew in MLB, indicating that this provides reasonably accurate estimates of C(initial coliforms). Estimates of C(final coliforms) were determined from turbidity data. Initial E. coli O157 populations (C(initial E. coli O157)) were calculated for 33 Baltimore watershed samples giving a positive IM-ECL response. The majority of samples contained E. coli O157 concentrations of < 1 cell per 100 ml. These data indicate that E. coli O157 are present in surface water samples but at very low levels. Growth rates for MLB-enriched coliforms were highly variable (k= 0.47 +/- 0.13 h(-1), n= 72). There was no correlation between growth rates and any measured water parameter, suggesting that coliform populations in water samples are spatially and temporally unique. Although variability in growth rates was expected to yield some low values, the fact that most E. coli O157 concentrations were < 1 suggests that other factor(s) were also responsible. Studies with E. coli O157:H7 and wild-type E. coli suggest that increased lag times due to starvation were at least partially responsible for the observed data. Based on estimates of C(initial coliforms) and k(coliforms), MLB was evaluated for sensitivity and quantitativeness. Simulated populations of E. coli O157:H7 at stationary phase varied from ca. 10(3) to 10(8) cells ml(-1) enrichment culture. Although not suitable for quantitation, MLB enrichment in conjunction with IM-ECL can detect as few as one viable water-borne E. coli O157 cell per 100 ml surface water. Experiments are in progress to evaluate alternative media for sensitivity and quantitative detection of enterohemorrhagic E. coli.

Bacteriological Techniques↗

The human brain processes repeated auditory feature conjunctions of low sequential probability.

The human brain is known to preattentively trace repeated sounds as holistic entities. It is not clear, however, whether the same holds true if these sounds are rare among other repeated sounds. Adult humans passively listened to a repeated tone with frequent (standard) and rare (deviant) conjunctions of its three features. Six equiprobable variants per conjunction type were assigned from a space built from these features so that the standard variants (P=0.15 each) were not inseparably traceable by means of their linear alignment in this space. Differential scalp-recorded event-related potentials to deviants indicate that the standard variants were traced as repeated wholes despite their preperceptual distinctiveness and resulting rarity among one another.

Acoustic Stimulation↗

Cognitive conjunction and cognitive functions.

We argue that conjunction analysis does not solve the problems with subtraction analyses that it sets out to solve and that it has additional problems of its own. We argue that detailed analyses of the tasks set to identify cognitive functions are required for both conjunction and subtraction analyses to achieve their goals of localizing cognitive operations using functional neuroimaging techniques.

Attention↗

Pancreatic epithelial cells can be converted into insulin-producing cells by GLP-1 in conjunction with virus-mediated gene transfer of pdx-1.

BACKGROUND: Glucagonlike peptide-1 (GLP-1) stimulates insulin secretion and proliferation by islet cells in vitro and in vivo, associated with an activation of pancreatic duodenal homeobox gene-1 (pdx-1) function. The effect of GLP-1 on the conditionally immortalized pancreatic epithelial cells (IMPE cells) is not clear when they are treated in conjunction with the adenovirus-mediated gene transfer of pdx-1. METHODS: IMPE cells were established from the pancreas of H-2K(b)-tsA58 transgenic mice. IMPE cells were maintained at 33 degrees C with 10 U/mL interferon (IFN)-gamma and the experiments were performed at 39 degrees C without IFN-gamma. IMPE cells were infected with 20 multiplicities of Ad-pdx-1 or control Ad-lacZ at 39 degrees C without IFN-gamma and were incubated with various concentrations of GLP-1. After 48 hours, immunofluorescence and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction for insulin and pdx-1 expression were examined. Immunoreactive insulin in the cell lysate and supernatant was also analyzed. The glucose concentration in the culture medium was changed to test the insulin secretory responsiveness of the IMPE cells. RESULTS: The treatment with GLP-1 in conjunction with Ad-pdx-1 induced insulin production by IMPE cells, but the treatment with either GLP-1 or Ad-pdx-1 alone failed to induce insulin production. Insulin production and secretion were increased by GLP-1 and by glucose in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, the insulin-producing IMPE cells acquired a rapid insulin secretory responsiveness to the changes of extracellular glucose concentration. CONCLUSIONS: GLP-1 and pdx-1 work together to induce insulin-producing cells from IMPE cells, which bear unique characteristics of pancreatic ductal cells. The results suggest that GLP-1 may be another important determiner of pancreatic endocrine differentiation as is pdx-1.

Adenoviridae↗

Acrylic intraocular lens placement in conjunction with pars plana vitrectomy.

PURPOSE: To report the results of placing a foldable acrylic intraocular lens through a clear cornea incision in eyes undergoing pars plana vitrectomy. METHODS: This interventional case series is a retrospective report of 15 eyes of 15 consecutive patients undergoing foldable (acrylic) intraocular lens insertion in conjunction with pars plana vitrectomy in a single academic institution. Outcome measures included visual acuity and complications. RESULTS: The intraocular lens was successfully implanted and retained in position in all 15 cases. The intraocular lens did not pose difficulty in examining the fundus or cause any vitreoretinal complications. With mean follow-up of 4.5 months (range, 1--10 months), final median postoperative visual acuity range was 20/200 (range, 20/40--2/200) and consistent with the level of vitreoretinal disease. CONCLUSION: Acrylic intraocular lenses may be safely implanted in conjunction with pars plana vitrectomy in selected cases.

Acrylates↗

Bacterial Infection in the Conjunctiva of Patients with Adenoviral Conjunctivitis.

Purpose: We evaluate the microbiological features of mixed infection in adenovirus-infected conjunctiva.Subjects: Isolation of bacteria was performed in 82 samples of adenoviral conjunctivitis at six eye clinics in Japan.Methods: For microbiological diagnosis, we performed immunochromatography (IC) and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis for detection and serotyping of adenovirus, and PCR for detection of herpes simplex virus (HSV) and Chlamydia trachomatis antigens out of 82 samples with adenoviral conjunctivitis.Results: Pathogenic bacteria were isolated in 6 samples out of 82. Out of these 6 cases, 5 samples were gram-negative rods and most of them were Flavobacterium meningosepticum (4 samples). Adenovirus type 8 was isolated from all these mixed infection cases. However, HSV-1 and Chlamydia trachomatis were not found.Conclusions: From these results, it is suggested that gram-negative rods, especially F. meningosepticum, are the most common bacteria causing mixed bacterial infection in adenoviral conjunctivitis.

Journal Article↗

Immunosuppressive effect of cholera toxin B on allergic conjunctivitis model in the guinea Pig

Purpose: To investigate the immunosuppressive effects of mucosal immune therapy in experimental allergic conjunctivitis.Method: We used 11 white Hartrey guinea pigs divided into two groups. Six animals (treated group) received pretreatment with topical instillation of cholera toxin B (4 &mgr;g/30 ml) and ovalbumin (10 &mgr;g/30 ml). The other group of 5 animals served as control. All the animals received intra-abdominal injection of ovalbumin (100 g/mL) and aluminum hydroxide (5 mg/mL) repeated twice 2 weeks apart. Allergic conjunctivitis was induced by topical instillation of ovalbumin solution (5 mg/mL) 1 week after the above procedure. Result: Both groups developed palpebral and bulbar edema with hyperemia 30 minutes after instillation. The allergic reaction was significantly less in score in the treated than in the control group (Mann-Whitney U-test: P <.01). The clinical findings subsided after 6 hours. The treated group showed less eosinophilic infiltration in the conjunctiva and the limbus, particularly in the conjunctival epithelium, than in the control group at 6 and 24 hours.Conclusion: Pretreatment with topical cholera toxin B and antigen suppresses clinical and histological findings in experimentally induced allergic conjunctivitis.

Journal Article↗

Conjunction and linear non-separability effects in visual shape encoding.

Four visual search experiments are reported which used simple 2D shapes varying on the global dimensions of aspect ratio/curvature or aspect ratio/tapering. Results indicate serial self-terminating search in all conditions. Most importantly, search rates are markedly modulated by the particular forms of structural relations existing between the targets and their distractors. Thus, single-feature targets with shape properties that are linearly separable from those of their distractors yield markedly faster search rates than linearly separable targets made of a conjunction of distractor features. In addition, linearly separable single-feature targets are searched at a much faster rate than single-feature targets which are not linearly separable. Follow-up experiments demonstrate that these conjunction and linear non-separability effects cannot be attributed to pairwise target-distractor discriminability differences across conditions. The main conclusions are that the shapes used are parsed according to elementary features in visual encoding, and that a linear discrimination mechanism is available which permits fast visual search rates if a single-feature target is linearly separable from its distractors.

Adult↗

Estrus and pregnancy after synchrony with lutalyse in conjunction with Syncro-Mate-B.

Estrous response and pregnancy rates are decreased for cows given Syncro-Mate-B (SMB) during metestrus (Day 1 to 5 of an estrous cycle). Data indicate these decreases are due, in part, to retention of a functional corpus luteum (CL). Our objective was to determine whether PGF2alpha administered in conjunction with SMB would improve estrous response and pregnancy rates in metestrous cows with no detrimental effects to cows in other stages of the estrous cycle. Three hundred seventy-three suckled beef cows were observed for estrus for 21 d before SMB administration to determine stage of an estrous cycle. Blood samples were collected 14 and 7 d before treatment and at SMB administration. Serum was assayed for concentration of progesterone to verify stage of estrous cycle or noncyclicity. All cows received the standard SMB regime and were allotted by age and stage of cycle to one of two groups. Cows denoted SMB + L received 25 mg of PGF2alpha 8 d after implantation, whereas cows denoted SMB served as controls. On Day 10, SMB implants were removed and females were observed for subsequent estrus. At this time, calves were removed from their dams for 48 h. Artificial insemination was performed 12 hr after observation of a standing estrus. Timed insemination was performed at 48 hr after implant removal for cows not inseminated at 24 or 36 hr after implant removal. Interval to synchronized estrus (within 5 d of implant removal) was lengthened for metestrous cows compared to cows in other stages of the cycle irrespective of treatment (P < 0.001). Cows receiving PGF2alpha had a greater pregnancy rate at 5 d compared to controls (P = .0672). Interval to estrus, estrous response, and pregnancy rate to A1 at d 28 or end of breeding season were not affected by administration of PGF2alpha in conjunction with SMB when compared to the standard SMB protocol.

Animal Husbandry↗

Clinical efficacy of olopatadine hydrochloride ophthalmic solution 0.2% compared with placebo in patients with allergic conjunctivitis or rhinoconjunctivitis: a randomized, double-masked environmental study.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested that olopatadine hydrochloride ophthalmic solution 0.2% administered once daily is effective for up to 24 hours after instillation and is well tolerated in adults and children aged > or =3 years. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety profile of olopatadine 0.2% compared with placebo in patients with seasonal allergic conjunctivitis or rhinoconjunctivitis. METHODS: This was a 10-week, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-masked environmental study conducted during the spring allergy season (April-August) of 2003. Patients assessed their ocular signs and symptoms in terms of frequency (whole-unit scale from 0 to 5) and severity (half-unit scale from 0 to 4), and grass pollen counts were obtained daily for each investigative site. Responder analyses were conducted by pollen level (frequency based) and pollen period (severity based) to evaluate the clinical significance of differences in ocular itching and redness between treatment groups. RESULTS: Two hundred sixty patients (137 females, 123 males) were enrolled in the study, including 28 children aged between 11 and 17 years; the overall population was 74% white, 11% black, 4% Hispanic, and 11% other. The frequency-based responder analyses of ocular itching and redness showed that when grass pollen counts were high (>20 gr/m(3) air), a respective 21% and 14% of patients in the olopatadine 0.2% group assessed the frequency of ocular itching and redness as >2, compared with 47% and 31% of patients in the placebo group (P < 0.001 for ocular itching; P < 0.003 for redness). The results of the severity-based responder analyses by peak pollen period were consistent with those of the frequency-based analyses. Compared with placebo, olopatadine 0.2% was associated with significant reductions in calculated mean scores for ocular itching and redness by pollen level and by pollen period. No patient was discontinued from the study because of a treatment-related adverse event, and no patient experienced a treatment-related serious adverse event. CONCLUSION: In the patients studied, olopatadine 0.2% appeared to be effective and well tolerated when administered once daily for the treatment of the ocular signs and symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis or rhinoconjunctivitis.

Adolescent↗

Suitability of venous and arterial conduits used for coronary artery bypass grafting in conjunction with coronary disease risk factors.

UNLABELLED: BACKGROUND/STUDY OBJECTIVES: We studied patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. Risk factors for coronary disease were studied in conjunction with the histopathologic findings of the grafts prior to implantation. Our aim was to correlate the histologic condition of the grafts and evaluate the morphological changes in conjunction with existing risk factors. DESIGN/PATIENTS: In 10 candidates for surgical revascularization (nine males, mean age 60.8 years), the risk factor profile was studied (smoking, dyslipidaemia, hypertension, diabetes, family history) and the Body Mass Index was calculated. Of a total of 14 grafts, 10 were saphenous vein grafts and four left internal thoracic artery grafts. Histologic samples were studied under optical and electron microscopy. We studied the intima morphology and thickness, the width of the intercellular spaces, the texture of the subendothelial layer, the endothelial status, and the condition of the basal lamina. Histopathological changes were correlated with risk factors. RESULTS: Histopathological changes were observed in the wall structure of all grafts. The most important changes were found in the venous grafts, notably: intima thickening, existence of foam cells in the intima, widening of the intercellular spaces, subendothelial oedema, degeneration and detachment of endothelial cells, and wide multilayered basal lamina. The co-existence of two or more risk factors seems to exarcerbate morphological changes. CONCLUSION: Morphological changes are present principally in the walls of venous but also arterial conduits, even prior to implantation. These changes may be attributable to preparation techniques and preservation conditions of the grafts, but they could additionally be induced by coexisting risk factors. It is conceivable that these alterations could perhaps precipitate and accelerate atherosclerotic changes, inducing lumen narrowing or even occlusion of the graft postoperatively.

Adult↗

Selective attention to conjunctions of color and shape of alphanumeric versus non-alphanumeric stimuli: a comparative electrophysiological study.

We compared multi-dimensional selection on the basis of the color, the global shape and the local shape of alphanumeric (letters) and non-alphanumeric (non-letters) stimuli. We investigated whether letters are selected on the basis of name codes or on the basis of highly familiar local shape codes. Participants responded to a single conjunction of color, global shape and local shape occurring in a randomized stream of other conjunctions of these attributes. Dependent variables were reaction time and measures derived from event-related brain potentials (onset latencies and peak amplitudes of the occipital selection negativity, SN). The SN results showed that, for both letters and non-letters, color and global shape were selected first and local shape was selected later. Reaction times were faster, and SN to the local shape occurred earlier for letters than for non-letters. The SN to the local shape of letters was larger than the SN to the local shape of non-letters. In contrast, the SN to the global shape of letters was smaller than the SN to the global shape of non-letters. Selection of the global shape of letters, but not of non-letters, depended on whether they occurred in the relevant color. Selection of the color of both letters and non-letters was independent of shape relevance, and selection of the local shape of both letters and non-letters was independent of color relevance. These results suggest that, (1) both letter and non-letter shapes are initially analyzed in a feature-specific manner; and (2) letters are selected for task-directed processing on the basis of highly familiar local shape codes and not on the basis of name codes.

Adult↗

The functional neuroanatomy of visual conjunction search: a parametric fMRI study.

Visual conjunction search is proposed to be a multicomponent process which involves scaling and successive shifts of attention in space as well as object identification. Here, we first mapped brain areas sustaining the proposed attentional subprocesses and then tested whether their activity was modulated by search load, i.e., the number of shifts, as predicted by serial search models. Search load was manipulated indirectly by precueing a varying number of locations at which relevant objects were shown. Multiple subregions within the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) and the prefrontal cortex were activated after cueing. Activity in the right posterior IPS was modulated by the distance of attention shifts and in the left posterior IPS by "zooming out" to cover a large region of the visual field. More anterior subregions of the left IPS responded to object identification irrespective of the need for serial scanning. Corresponding regions in the right IPS were modulated parametrically with respect to search load, along with the right temporoparietal junction. These results support a functional segregation of subregions of the IPS. The posterior regions participate in large-scale shifts and scaling of the attentional focus and the anterior regions in object identification and rapid serial shifts during search. The sustained activation in the frontal eye fields after cueing suggests a role in maintaining attention in the periphery. Together with the findings in early visual areas from this experiment (Müller et al., 2003) the current observations are best accounted for by hybrid models of visual conjunction search, where parallel processing in visual and temporoparietal regions and serial scanning controlled by the right IPS cooperate.

Adult↗

Application of titanium-alloy endodontic implants in conjunction with periradicular surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the outcome of placement of titanium-alloy endodontic implants in conjunction with periradicular surgery. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty-four teeth were treated with endodontic implants with corresponding periradicular surgery by using SuperEBA cement (Harry J Bosworth Co, Skokie, Ill) as a sealer. The results of the endodontic implant surgery were evaluated clinically and radiographically from 2 to 4 years after treatment. RESULTS: Twenty-two teeth were treated successfully, whereas 2 teeth were treated unsuccessfully, for a success rate of 92%. CONCLUSIONS: Titanium-alloy endodontic implants in conjunction with periradicular surgery may provide good short-term results. Sealing between the endodontic implant and the dentin is likely an important factor for success.

Adult↗

Effect of insulin in conjunction with glucose, amino acids and potassium on net metabolism of glucose and amino acids in the goat mammary gland.

The hyperinsulinaemic euglycaemic insulin clamp technique was used to study the effect of insulin on the arterio-venous concentration differences of glucose and amino acids across the mammary gland in dairy goats. Insulin was given in conjunction with K to prevent insulin hypokalaemia. Appropriate amino acid infusion was used to blunt insulin-induced hypoaminoacidaemia or to create hyperaminoacidaemia and maintain this state under insulin treatment. Hyperaminoacidaemia alone only stimulated mammary leucine uptake but did not significantly modify the net metabolism of other amino acids and glucose. Insulin infusion at physiological level in conjunction with glucose, KCl-NaCl and amino acids failed to alter mammary uptake of glucose and essential amino acids; occasional increase in arginine extraction and decrease in tyrosine extraction were exceptions. Thus these new experimental conditions did not reveal any galactopoietic effect of insulin.

Amino Acids↗

An event-related brain potential study of visual selective attention to conjunctions of color and shape.

What cognitive processes underlie event-related brain potential (ERP) effects related to visual multidimensional selective attention and how are these processes organized? We recorded ERPs when participants attended to one conjunction of color, global shape and local shape and ignored other conjunctions of these attributes in three discriminability conditions. Attending to color and shape produced three ERP effects: frontal selection positivity (FSP), central negativity (N2b), and posterior selection negativity (SN). The results suggested that the processes underlying SN and N2b perform independent within-dimension selections, whereas the process underlying the FSP performs hierarchical between-dimension selections. At posterior electrodes, manipulation of discriminability changed the ERPs to the relevant but not to the irrelevant stimuli, suggesting that the SN does not concern the selection process itself but rather a cognitive process initiated after selection is finished. Other findings suggested that selection of multiple visual attributes occurs in parallel.

Adult↗

The use of sorbitol-MacConkey agar in conjunction with a specific antiserum for the detection of Vero cytotoxin-producing strains of Escherichia coli O 157.

Using DNA probes specific for the genes encoding Vero cytotoxins 1 and 2 in hybridization experiments on faecal samples, Vero cytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) of serogroup O 157 were detected in 21 of 63 cases of haemorrhagic colitis, 9 of 31 cases of non-bloody diarrhoea and 14 of 68 cases of haemolytic uraemic syndrome. Compared with these results sorbitol-MacConkey agar in conjunction with a specific O 157 antiserum gave a sensitivity of 62% in haemorrhagic colitis, 56% in non-bloody diarrhoea and 57% in haemolytic uraemic syndrome. The specificity of this method was 100% in all three groups. This demonstrates that sorbitol-MacConkey agar is a useful screening method for the detection of VTEC of serogroup O 157 when used in conjunction with a specific homologous antiserum. However, this method does not detect VTEC belonging to other serogroups and such strains were found, particularly in cases of haemolytic uraemic syndrome.

Adolescent↗